ssc_marcomms posted on November 16, 2008 00:37
Singapore to host first ever Asian Youth Games in 2009
In half a year’s time, Singapore will welcome about 1,300 young athletes from 45 National Olympic Councils (NOCs) for the first ever Asian Youth Games (AYG).
The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) has given Singapore the nod to host the multi-sport event for athletes aged between 14 and 17.
Top athletes will be here next year from 29 June to 7 July to compete in the 9 sports offered, namely athletics, aquatics (swimming and diving), 3-on-3 basketball, beach volleyball, bowling, football, sailing, shooting and table tennis.
The event is seen as practice ahead of the first Youth Olympic Games (YOG) here in 2010.
“It will be a good way to test our organisational and logistical capabilities,' said Senior Parliamentary Secretary (Community Development, Youth and Sports) Teo Ser Luck.’It's also an avenue for us to build good relations in the Asian family.”
The last time Singapore hosted a multi-sport event was in 1993, when the South-east Asia Games were held here.
Singapore had suggested holding the AYG as part of its successful bid to stage the YOG.
Next year's event will be about a third of the size of the YOG.
The competition venues are expected to be the same as those to be used for the YOG.
The organisation of next year's Games will be spearheaded by the Singapore Sports Council (SSC) and Ministry of Education (MOE).